Mon Feb 24 03:45:12 UTC 2025: ## Air India Seat Complaint: Minister’s “Broken Seat” Claim Debunked

**NEW DELHI, February 24, 2025** – Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s social media outcry over a “broken seat” on an Air India flight from Bhopal to New Delhi on February 22nd has been disputed. While the Minister claimed the seat was faulty, an investigation by The Hindu reveals the seats on the Airbus A321 Neo aircraft were new, but their design contributed to the sunken cushions.

According to a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) document, approximately 60% of the seats on the aircraft (VT-RTB) exhibited this issue. The MEL document, which lists inoperative equipment allowing for safe aircraft operation, classifies the seat issue as a “non-essential function” affecting passenger comfort, not flight safety.

The seats, manufactured by Italian company Geven, lack seat pans, causing the cushions to compress under passenger weight. This design, chosen for its lightweight properties to reduce fuel costs, is reportedly responsible for the sunken appearance and discomfort experienced, especially during turbulence. An industry official confirmed the seats are new and that cushion replacement occurs regularly as needed.

Only four of Air India’s 25 leased A320 family aircraft have these Geven seats; the remainder are fitted with Recaro seats of a different design. Air India is currently modernizing its fleet, with seat and entertainment system retrofits planned for completion by mid-2025 on 27 narrowbody Airbus A320neo aircraft. The retrofitting of legacy widebody aircraft is also underway.

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